Re: IML: R12 Replacement

[Elijah Scott <imperial1971@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- Ken Lang <ken@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I've just found this stuff called HC-12a that is
> supposed to be a direct replacement for R12 at about

> $6 a can.  It can be found at:
> http://www.foxtoolsupply.com/

The HC-12a will probably cool fine, but be warned that
it is highly FLAMMABLE!  Please see the articles
below.

I've had excellent results in converting my own
Imperials to use R-134a.  In my experience, it cools
equally well as R-12, and is very economical (I buy it
by the case at Sam's Club for ~ $2.50 per can).

Elijah

-------------------------------------------------
"Cheap refrigerants are not worth the risk: An
inexpensive substitute could be hazardous." _Fleet
Equipment_ 31.7 (July 2005): p10(1). 

Red Dot Corp. warns commercial vehicle owners to avoid
hydrocarbon refrigerants being sold as inexpensive
substitutes for HFC-134a and CFC-12.

Hydrocarbon refrigerants, marketed under such names as
OZ-12, Duracool 12a and HC-12a, may contain large
quantities of propane, butane or other highly
flammable gases. The EPA says there is insufficient
proof that hydrocarbon refrigerants are safe for
mobile air conditioning systems, and that leaking air
conditioning systems charged with hydrocarbons pose
serious risks of fire or explosion under the hood or
inside the passenger compartment.

"These products are sold online and at flea markets as
direct replacements for EPA-approved refrigerants,"
said Red Dot, which produces heating and
air-conditioning systems, components, and replacement
parts for commercial trucks, buses, and vehicles used
in construction, mining, agriculture, fire and rescue
and military service. "Many buyers aren't aware of the
potential hazards to themselves and technicians who
service their vehicles."

According to Gary Hansen, vice president of
engineering at Red Dot, at the very least, using
hydrocarbon refrigerants will void the air conditioner
warranty. No vehicle manufacturer has endorsed or
authorized the use of hydrocarbon refrigerants in its
current-production A/C systems, Red Dot said.

Hydrocarbon blends can degrade gaskets and hoses
designed for HFC-134a or CFC-12, making leaks more
likely, the company said.
-------------------------------------------------
"Refrigerant debate more than hot air."
_Spokesman-Review_ (Spokane, WA) (August 21, 2006). 

Byline: Amy Cannata

Aug. 21--Rathdrum, Idaho, company OZ Technology touts
its air-conditioning refrigerant HC-12a as a cheaper
and more effective alternative to other automobile
refrigerants.

Trouble is: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
has banned it from being used for that purpose,
although it is allowed for industrial uses.

The refrigerant is made from a combination of butane
and propane, which EPA officials say is flammable and
could cause vehicles to catch fire in a crash.

But that isn't stopping some people from using it to
save money. And they probably don't have to worry much
about getting caught.

The EPA has one person assigned to enforcing its ban,
and that person, Michele Wright, said she also handles
chlorofluorocarbon and asbestos enforcement in the
EPA's four-state Northwest region.

There has been no enforcement of the HC-12a ban in the
region this year.

OZ Technology President Gary Lindgren said HC-12a is
safe for use in cars and trucks, adding that he thinks
EPA's refusal to allow its use has more to do with the
agency's close ties to other refrigerant-producing
companies than HC-12a's efficacy or safety.

Lindgren invented the refrigerant in just a couple of
weeks in 1992, just as the EPA was banning Freon.

As OZ Technology's petitions to have HC-12a added to
the approved vehicle refrigerant list repeatedly were
turned down, sales of HC-12a suffered, Lindgren said.
Last year, OZ Technology and another company sold
about $528,000 worth of HC-12a, down from about $1
million in the early 1990s.

But Tom Clark, an air program engineer with the
Washington state Department of Ecology, said he
understands why HC-12a is illegal for use in motor
vehicle refrigerant systems.

"It enhances the dangers during auto accidents," Clark
said. "These are gases that will combust."

Several local mechanics also said they are skeptical.

"That could be bad if you have a small leak and light
up in your car," said Jim Napier, owner of Advantage
Automotive in Spokane Valley. 

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